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her cover feature It's not really possible to mention women and work in the same sentence without inviting some discussion on the ever-elusive work/ life balance. Ann says it's a concept that everyone defines differently and that evolves over a person's personal and working life. with modest objectives and now we're working with communities on much bigger ideas, for example a walk from Cairns to the tip of Cape York, and all the infrastructure that goes in between. In East Kimberley we're working with communities that are beneficiaries of the mining there, on how they might invest their money and develop community infrastructure." Carnival Australia is also looking after the communities it visits en route. At some destinations local tours, such as dining with a resident family or seeing a demonstration of a craft, are available to give passengers an insight into the lives of the people they are visiting. Creating jobs is also on the company's agenda. "We bought a boat for one of the islands in Vanuatu to take people from one island to another, and we've trained equal numbers of men and women to run it," says Ann. For the women of the island it means they have some financial independence, a completely new experience for them. As for the future, Ann has her sights set high. "At Carnival Australia we have called this the 'decade of cruising' and I think the next 10 years will bring even more growth for the industry and greater choice for customers. Both the challenge and the opportunity is to get the infrastructure issues resolved so that port facilities are sufficient to support industry growth and the economic contribution that goes with it. In Australia that means achieving a three-berth solution in Sydney – one west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and two in the eastern harbour to accommodate the increasing number of cruise ships that are too big to pass under the bridge. In New Zealand it's a matter of getting Queen's Wharf in Auckland sorted and also working with Christchurch so we can again contribute to the region's economy by bringing tourists back. Everywhere we go we need to see that things are done to really make the cruise experience hum." While for now Ann finds her sea legs in cruise shipping, she has some sage advice for women contemplating a career shift across to a new industry. "Do your due diligence on the job and the company to make sure it has a long-term future, and people are what they say they are. But otherwise if it makes your heart sing and you think it would be a great adventure, I'd say absolutely grab it, do it! What's the worst thing that can happen? It's a good question to ask. Often the answer is I'll be looking for another job in six months' time if it doesn't work out – and that's not the end of the world. If the best happens then it's a fantastic opportunity. Sometimes working out the worst thing that can happen gives you enough courage to go out and do it." Catherine Murray Ann's tips for when opportunity knocks • Realise and understand that people perceive opportunities (and limitations) differently • Find ways of making an opportunity work, not only for yourself but also for your family • Can I do it? Am I an imposter? Unearth intrinsic confidence to conquer self doubt • If you're crossing over to a new industry examine the similarities between your old and new roles, not just the differences. Often the underlying principles are more similar than you first think. • Relish the differences in a new role – they are a fantastic learning opportunity 22 | December/January 2012 | HER MAGAZINE